Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Life: Definitions

  • Living reference work entry
  • Latest version View entry history
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics

  • 139 Accesses

Abstract

This entry offers a definition of life by distinguishing between life as organic entity and life as meaningful existence. This distinction is meant to be a limited, but constructive, view of life, one that provides a framework for delineating and engaging bioethical issues pertaining to humans. To that end, the essay proceeds with an account of life as meaningful existence, elaborates the notion of meaningfulness, and brings out the implications of this notion for two bioethical issues: the morality of abortion and the human treatment of the environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akgunduz, A. (2014). Norms and values in Islam. Retrieved November 4, 2014, from http://www.islamicuniversity.nl

  • Baumeister, R.E. (1991). Meanings of life. New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brightman, E.S. (1940). A Philosophy of Religion esp. ch.12, “The Problem of Human Purpose.” Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coopersmith, R.N. (2014). Our drive for meaning. Retrieved November 4, 2014, from http://www.aish.com/sp/ph/48917507.html

  • Edwards, P. (1972). Life: The meaning and value of. In P. Edwards (Ed.), Encyclopedia of philosophy (1972 ed., Vol. 4, pp. 467–477). New York: Collier Macmillan Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurtz, P. (1969). “What is Humanism?” In P. Kurtz (Ed.), Moral Problems in Contemporary Society: Essays in Humanistic Ethics. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, D.R. (1995). Native Americans and the environment: A survey of twentieth century issues. In American Indian Quarterly (Vol. 19(3), pp. 423–450). Retrieved October 15, 2014, from Literature Online, http://literature.proquest.com, pp. 1–36.

  • MacKinnon, B., & Fiala, A. (Eds.). (2015). Ethics: Theory and contemporary issues (8th ed.). Stamford: Cenage Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mbiti, J. S. (1988). African religions and philosophy. London: Heineman Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDermott, M. (2011). Our sacred earth: Hinduism and the environment. In Hinduism Today Magazine, Educational Insight Category, April/May/June 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • McIntyre, A. (1972). Existentialism. In P. Edwards (Ed.), Encyclopedia of philosophy (Vol. 3, pp. 147–154). New York: Collier Macmillan Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Menkiti, I. (1984). Person and community in traditional African thought. In R.A. Wright (Ed.), African philosophy: An introduction. Lanham: University Press of America.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noonan, J. (2006). Abortion is not morally permissible. In L. P. Pojman (Ed.), Philosophy: The quest for truth (6th ed.). Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sadr, S.M. (2004). Islam, humanity and human values. Retrieved November 4, 2014, from http://www.alislam.org/Print/book/export/html/21635

  • Sumedho, A. (2001). In the moment of mindfulness, there is no suffering. Retrieved November 4, 2014, from http://buddhismnow.com/2014/09/18. First published in the February 2001 issue of Buddhism Now.

  • Walker, L. H. (2006). “Religion Gives Meaning to Life.” In L. P. Pojman (Ed.), Philosophy: The Quest for Truth (6th ed.). Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warren, M. A. (2006). Abortion is morally permissible. In L. P. Pojman (Ed.), Philosophy: The quest for truth (6th ed.). Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiredu, K. (1996). Cultural universals and particulars. Bloomington/Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Further Readings

  • Baumeister, R.E. (1991). Meanings of life. New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, P. (1972). Life: The meaning and value of. In P. Edwards (Ed.), Encyclopedia of philosophy (1972 ed., Vol. 4, pp. 467–477). New York: Collier Macmillan Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, D.R. (1995). Native Americans and the environment: A survey of twentieth century issues. In American Indian Quarterly (Vol. 19(3), pp. 423–450). Retrieved October 15, 2014, from Literature Online, http://literature.proquest.com, pp. 1–36.

  • Menkiti, I. (1984). Person and community in traditional African thought. In R.A. Wright (Ed.), African philosophy: An introduction. Lanham: University Press of America.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 East Main Street, Box 73, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA

    Clarence Shole Johnson

Authors
  1. Clarence Shole Johnson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Clarence Shole Johnson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Duquesne University Center for Healthcare Ethics, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Henk ten Have

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this entry

Cite this entry

Johnson, C.S. (2015). Life: Definitions. In: ten Have, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_268-2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_268-2

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-05544-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Religion and PhilosophyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Humanities

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Life: Definitions
    Published:
    06 April 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_268-2

  2. Original

    Life: Definitions
    Published:
    21 January 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_268-1

Search

Navigation